


All I can do

by vityamins



Series: All I can universe [2]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha Victor Nikiforov, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Regency, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Fluff, Hunting, M/M, Omega Katsuki Yuuri, Romance, Scenting, Slight Drama, YOI Omegaverse Week, no actual rape don't worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 22:58:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17476562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vityamins/pseuds/vityamins
Summary: The Giacomettis’ hunting lodge was a favourite summer abode for every noble lucky enough to be invited. For Yuuri Katsuki though, the vacation is anything but relaxing. A certain silver-haired Lord is making it very difficult for him to stop feeling flustered, and surely being the only omega joining the alphas on a hunting trip isn't going to help.Originally started for the Yuri!!! on ice omegaverse week 2018 (I know, it's been a long time in the making)





	All I can do

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Yuri!!! on ice omegaverse week 2018 Tuesday prompt: AU: Mating run/hunting, keywords: Scent/marking.  
> Apparently all I'm doing is taking creative liberties and going awol with the plot.  
> Did this take me 6 months to complete? Maybe.
> 
> Rest assured, in keeping with my other regency fics (we're ignoring how similar they are) this is an excellent example of romantic fluff, with a little drama to push the plot along.
> 
> I hope you enjoy, and see you in the end notes!

The Giacomettis’ hunting lodge was a handsome thing; a serviceable country manor surrounded by acres of field and woodland. Ordinarily, it would be shut up and cared for by the gardner and his wife, but in the summer months it was full of raucous nobles eager to escape the stifling confines of the city.

 

Such a group had gathered at the Giacometti’s invite - it was well known that the Viscount had the best parties - to relax and enjoy frivolity in the way only the upper classes could before the oncoming London season. While most were close friends of the Viscount himself, a few social climbers had tagged along in a poorly concealed attempt to win over some of the most powerful alphas in the country.

 

Yuuri happily counted himself among the former. Christopher was a dear friend of his, and one of the few alphas with whom he could hold conversation without risking unwanted courtship. As an unwed omega of significant rank and wealth, he seemed to be (unfortunately, in his opinion) somewhat of a catch. He dreaded the season. A good omega married as soon as they were able, to an alpha of their parents choosing, as not to be a burden on their families. Yuuri shuddered. Spinsters were passed around like unwanted gifts amongst relatives; well received, poorly treated, and eventually given away again. It was no way for any self-respecting person to live.

 

That idea, rooted firmly in his head, was all that kept him from tearing up his dance cards and fleeing Almack’s. Hopefully the visit with his old friend would alleviate his agony, if only for a few weeks.

 

After a dismal few days of card games and billiards while the infamous British summer filled the gutters and turned the soil sodden, the guests grew more than a little restless. Lord Nikiforov, as a particularly affluent and respectable gentleman, had been forced to socialise with more insufferable climate than he was prepared. The poor man had gone as far as to fake a convincing, persistent hangover to avoid company. If Yuuri hadn't spotted the gentleman sitting at his window through the downpour during a rare outing to a covered alcove in the garden, or had been positive that the one glass of scotch the man had nursed all evening was not nearly enough to fox him, he might even have bought it himself. Nikiforov had an apparent talent for the theatrics.

 

And Yuuri had an apparent fascination with Nikiforov, a little voice in the back of his head whispered. How else could he explain watching him so closely?

 

Yuuri blushed as he fixed his riding habit. He could boast only to a handful of conversations with the Lord. Between the nobles in dun territory hoping to squeeze some money out of the fellow, and Yuuri’s own obligation to their host, the two had little opportunity to speak.

 

_ His lordship wouldn't have any interest in such a dowdy omega, anyway. _

 

He straightened his cravat in the looking glass and pulled on the blue lapels of his dress. He should really have brought his ladies’ maid with him, but felt Christophe was going through enough trouble to house him and the other nobles without adding to the various entourages no doubt crammed in together downstairs. Masumi, as the omega of the house, had kindly offered the use of his own ladies maid, but Yuuri had yet to summon her in light of the fact that she was called Bessie. It was a fashionable name for a ladies maid, and so likely not the poor girl’s actual name, which didn’t really sit right with Yuuri. He wasn’t really sure if it would be impolite to ask for her real name.

 

At least he was not at too much of a loss. He could dress himself, which was more than most of his station.

 

The group was to go hunting that day, largely for the benefit of the alphas. The omegas would follow the hunt rather than participate in the actual chase, which sat just fine with Yuuri. He loved riding and the hunting dogs, but breaking his neck in the name of sport wasn’t all that appealing to him. It was perhaps the only area in which he was grateful for the excuse of his dynamic.

 

He met Lord Giacometti near the front of the house, where a group had already gathered. 

“Miss Katsuki! What a pleasure it is to see you this morning!” Christophe smiled at him from his horse, tightening the buckles on the dappled grey mare.

“There is hardly any need for such sarcasm,” Yuuri joked.

“On the contrary.” Chris walked over, “None of the other ladies seem to have managed to ready themselves yet. It appears we will have to wait a while longer.”

“Probably struggling to remember how to get out of bed,” a large-nosed alpha with a lopsided cravat snorted, “The lot of them are good for nothing out of it.”

A couple laughed along, while those well acquainted with Yuuri stayed quiet. Lord Nikiforov went as far as to frown at the offending noble from atop his horse, which Yuuri thought was terribly sweet.

 

After a moment of silence, a maid hurried forward from the lodge. “Sirs- and Miss,” the girl bobbed politely, “The other ladies apologise, but will be late and feel it would be best for them to catch up with you later on, rather than keep the hunting party waiting.”

Those who had joked at the omegas’ expense immediately moved to mount their horses.

“Is anything the matter?” Yuuko, a family friend of Yuuri’s asked.

“Not at all, Sir. Many are simply still adjusting to country hours, while others are still prettifying themselves, what with the lack of ladies’ maids.” She bobbed again before heading back inside.

“For the better, really.” A friend of the large-nosed alpha explained. Yuuri was sure the two of them were no more than social climbers. “They would surely otherwise hold us back.”

“You are welcome to stay behind, Miss Katsuki.” Lord Giacometti said sympathetically, oblivious to the distraught look Nikiforov threw at his back. “I’m sure it will be quite boring for you without company during the chase.”

 

Usually Yuuri would have gratefully accepted, then settled down in the garden to enjoy some reading and sun. But he felt he’d been rubbed the wrong way, and had been looking forward to  _ hypothetically  _ spending some time with a certain silver-haired Lord, and  _ hypothetically _ mounting his horse in such a way that he showed the man an enticing bit of leg (carefully practiced with Phichit). Riding dresses were worn long as to preserve one’s modesty while riding, and so never worn with clocked stockings as they’d never be seen. Yuuri had chosen an eye catching navy and pink design instead. 

 

There were benefits to dressing oneself, after all.

 

So he felt it was only fair that he went, after all. He was a perfectly capable rider and had brought a book, which often tended to be better company than some tittering noble’s wife. “Nonsense. I’d be thrilled to come along.”

The party mounted, some with disdain and some with a grin. Planning to ride out until they were almost free of the woodland before following the dogs, the group started leisurely along the road from the house. After a minute, Lord Nikiforov sidled up next to Yuuri. “Fine weather today. I do hope it holds.”

 

Yuuri couldn’t help but feel a little slighted at the comment. Did the gentleman assume him to be so poor at the art of conversation as to resort to idle prattle about the weather? He hid his irritation behind a stiff smile. “I can assure you, my lord, I am well-equipped enough to converse about much more interesting topics.” It came with the face. Any dowdy omega had to otherwise furnish themselves, and Yuuri considered himself no exception. 

 

“Oh!- No, that is…” The Alpha stumbled over his words, crimson rising from under his collar. “I didn’t mean to offend, I apologise. I was merely expressing concern for yourself, should it rain. I wouldn’t want you to have to wait in the downpour for the party to return.” Yuuri considered this for a moment. It was true, it would be unsafe to ride alone back to the house in the rain, especially sidesaddle in poor weather (cursed propriety). But the omega was wearing a thick wool riding habit, and so was unlikely to soak to the skin. Muslins couldn’t withstand a decent sneeze; omegas died each year of cold in the name of fashion. A blush of his own pinked the Japanese man’s ears when he imagined what  _ might _ happen, if the silver-haired alpha were to come across him in such a state: gown made sheer from rain, clinging indecently to his legs and figure. He shook away the thought, as if Lord Nikiforov might sense the salacious image.

 

“Thank you for your concern, but little rain won’t hurt me. I’m sure I’ll be able to find shelter under a tree.” The young lord looked slightly crestfallen, to Yuuri’s surprise.

 

“Are you quite sure? I would be happy to stay with you.”

 

If he had been surprised before, the omega was now taken aback. That Nikiforov would even entertain the idea of spending what would almost certainly be a  _ day _ with him was unfathomable. Besides, the lack of chaperone was more than a little unnerving. Though Yuuri was sure Nikiforov would act the perfect gentleman, he was sure that the less honourable members of the hunting party would set about ruining his reputation as soon as they reached the nearest public house regardless. And then what would he do? His already meagre prospects would be dashed. 

 

It wasn’t as if Lord Nikiforov would wed him, even out of duty.

 

“You seem unusually eager to escape the hunt, my lord.”

The alpha gave him a sheepish look. “I… ah. Lord Cialdini wrung it out of me that I keep dogs.” Yuuri furrowed his brows. There was nothing unusual about that. “The other gentlemen seemed under the impression that I meant hunting dogs.”

“You don’t keep hounds?”

“Well, like I said, I do keep  _ dogs, _ ” Nikiforov pursed his lips. The omega could tell he was trying to skirt the subject.

 

_ No use dancing around the cart when you want a ride,  _ his mother would say.  _ Just hop in and whistle. _

 

“Makka is really just an oversized lap dog. I believe the only thing she’s ever hunted are slippers.”

Yuuri giggled. Not the dainty, musical laugh taught by a music teacher, but a giggle that rose from the bottom of his chest and scrunched up his nose. “I bet she’s just precious!”

“She is.” Nikiforov visibly relaxed at the laugh, smiling himself.

“I had my own as a child, a tiny brown poodle.” Yuuri confessed.

“Really?” Lord Nikiforov lit up like a child at christmas. “Makkachin is a poodle, too!”

“You do not keep hounds as well?”

“No, I detest the sport.” That surprised him.

“Really?”

The mood of the conversation changed as a shadow fell over Nikiforov’s face. “Yes. My father hunted vigorously. Bred his own pack. When I was a boy, I was to help. To learn.” Despite the summer breeze, Yuuri caught the sour change in the alpha’s scent. “Once, when a new litter was born, he had me-” He turned sharply to meet large, doe eyes, as if just remembering who he was talking to. “I’m sorry, Miss Katsuki. It would not be fair to speak of such a thing to a lady.”

Yuuri frowned. “You forget, Lord Nikiforov, that it was me who asked.”

The alpha thought for a second. “Very well. But Lord Nikiforov was my father; I much prefer Viktor.”

 

A part of Yuuri was thrilled to be given permission to use his given name. Usually only a  _ wife  _  would-

 

He stopped that dangerous train of thought in its tracks.

 

“And I am Yuuri. And I was the one who asked, I should be prepared to hear an answer.” Viktor took a deep breath.

“You see their ears?” he gestured to the dogs surrounding the group. Some had open holes at the sides of their heads, no soft flap of skin to protect them from dust and dirt. The omega felt a stab of horror, then guilt for not noticing before.

“They’re cut off when born. To make them look… ‘plucky’, as my father used to say.”

Yuuri held his tongue, watching as Viktor's mouth fell into a grim line.

“Some no longer maintain the practice,” he pointed at another hound, which (Yuuri noted with relief) still had a pair of beautiful floppy brown ears. “But  _ others _ favour the outdated practices.” the alpha glared at the back of the heads of the more boisterous alphas in the group.

 

Yuuri didn’t like the turn the conversation had taken. “If you detest the hunt, why take part?”

“Christophe- ah, the Lord Giacometti - has put the others under the impression that I hunt often, and has put me in the awkward position of having to either comply or publically contradict him. I don’t believe some our present company would hold a preference for reading over rabbit chasing in high regard.” He pinked a little around the ears. “And… that is to say… a dislike for the sport isn’t very desirable in an alpha.”

“Nonsense! Reading improves the brain; I can’t imagine a fencepost and horseshoe through the skull would do the same.” Yuuri declared. “Now,” he said teasingly, “I thought Giacometti and yourself friends! Why on Earth has he put you in such an awkward position?”

“It appears that I borrowed a copy of Shelley from him a while back, and never returned it.”

Yuuri frowned. “And he has fallen out with you for that?”

“No, no. We are still very amiable, It’s just that the particular copy he lent me seems to have contained a list in the back; one that my friend seems to value massively.”

Still confused, the omega pressed on. “Can’t you send him a copy of the list?”

“Ah… No…” A quick glance at the man showed him to be trying to contain his laughter. There was a glow in his eyes and across his cheeks that felt contagious.

“Whyever not?”

“The- the list- it…” Viktor was noticeably biting his lip. He checked that Giacometti was not within earshot, then lowered his voice. “Apparently it was a list of… amorous positions. Written, and  _ illustrated _ , I am told, by his mate.”

“ _ Oh. _ ” 

“Exactly. The poor dear is embarrassed beyond belief, and so Christophe has forbidden me from opening the volume to appease him. I - rather childishly, I will admit - have in turn refused to hand back the book until I have read it, regardless of this list. We have reached an impasse, and so tease each other relentlessly in way of goading the other into reaching an agreement.”

The two of them struggled to hold back their mirth, until they mistakenly made eye contact.

 

They burst out laughing. So violently, in fact, that it scared a flock of birds and a good deal of the hunting party. Lord Giacometti turned round in his saddle.

 

“Viktor, for  _ fucks’ sake,  _ you better not be-”

“What? Miss Katsuki and I were just discussing literature!”

Yuuri couldn’t make eye contact with his friend. Christophe squinted at the pair of them.

“If Yuuri likes literature so much, perhaps I should tell him about how you yourself like to write.” It sounded an awful lot like a threat.

“You write?” Yuuri asked Viktor innocently, lashes fluttering.

“Only descriptive poetry, my dear!” Christophe shouted back smugly. Whatever had passed over the omega’s head, it seemed the blond had won that round.

 

The group left the road along a dirt track, and soon reached the clearing where it ended. 

“This will do nicely as a meeting point,” Christophe decided. Yuuri started to dismount, but suddenly found himself surrounded by alphas dutifully trying to help him. It was more of a hindrance, really; he no longer had enough room to do it himself.

“I’m quite alright, thank you.”

Viktor looked a little crestfallen.

 

The omega settled himself under a tree as the rest of the party readied themselves to follow the dogs. Lord Nikiforov seemed to be dragging his feet.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“Yes, Viktor. Thank you for your concern, but I doubt a little fresh air and quiet shall bother me.”

Satisfied, he mounted with the rest of the party. With that, the dogs were set loose, leading them off into the woodland in search of a scent.

 

-o-

 

The mid morning sun filtered delicately through the trees, draping across the woodland floor more intricately than any lace. Viktor was the only one that noticed, though. He was convinced that love had given him new eyes.

 

Chris was convinced it had just made him silly enough to wax poetic about how well you could see the dirt.

 

The hounds had yet to pick up a scent, and so the party remained in companionable silence for at least a quarter-hour. Viktor let his horse fall behind slightly. Soon his blond friend sidled up to him.

“Honestly, Viktor. You look like you've been invited to afternoon tea and then offered a fig roll. Stop sulking.”

Viktor sighed. “I'm not sulking. I'm pining.”

“Same difference.”

“No, pining has romantic connotations. Sulking is for petulant children.”

“See? You are sulking. I can practically hear you internally writing poetry, Viktor. It's already pissing me off.”

Viktor sighed again. People did it a lot in novels; it was a clear indication he was a man in love. “I'm being pensive. It's a very attractive quality in an alpha, I'll have you know.”

“We'll see how attractive it is when you brood so hard you fall off your horse.” Christophe mumbled. Viktor ignored him. “Look, I apologise for forcing you to hunt, it was just a jape. If you clear off now then you won't have to join the chase.”

Viktor’s eyes brightened; his grip on the reins tightened.

“But mind yourself, you can't go back to your little sweetheart. It would ruin his reputation, Viktor. I can't let you start a rumour that would hurt him. I won't let that happen to a dear friend.”

Viktor felt he should have been offended that the other alpha would think him possible of such a thing as hurting Yuuri. Instead, he merely found himself happy that the omega had such protective friends. “I wouldn’t dream of it, Chris.” he moved to turn his horse, but stopped momentarily, as if he couldn’t leave it unsaid. 

“I adore him, Chris. It would be an insult to him to call it love yet… There’s still so much more of him for me to fall in love with. But… I will. If he’ll have me.”

Chris looked slightly taken aback, but recovered quickly. “I see all that brooding hasn’t improved your eloquence any,” he smiled, “but if you mean it, you have my approval. Not that it matters one whit against his, though!”

Viktor grinned back, spurring his horse away from the party.

 

-o-

  
  


In the clearing, Yuuri could feel his eyes slipping shut. I wasn't  _ his _ fault, really, just… his skirts made the ground almost soft under the warm midday sun, and he'd had to wake early for the hunt. It wouldn't bother anyone, surely, if his breathing evened and pulled him to sleep for a minute. Or an hour.

 

Above the sleeping omega, clouds smothered the sky.

 

-o-

 

“Looks like the hounds have found a scent!” Lord Cialdini observed.

“About fucking time,” the large-nosed alpha snorted, “We’ll be caught in a downpour soon. Bastard mutts aren’t worth kitchen scraps if this is how long it takes them to find vermin in a wood.”

The rest of the party glanced up at the angry clouds rolling in overhead. “Ought we turn back instead? Miss Katsuki shall surely get soaked.”

“Natural fucking state of the omega, that. He’ll be in his fucking element.” barked an ill-mannered noble, smirking. Christophe frowned.

“No gentleman worth his title would leave him like that. We should turn back if the weather’s going to sour.”

Nishigori piped up. “It doesn’t look like it’ll rain for a little while longer. We might have time to follow this scent, if we’re quick.”

“We can cut through the bracken.” one noble suggested.

“Besides, the path we were on circles back,” said another, “I believe we’re already on our way back to the road.”

The large nosed alpha cut in: “So it’s decided. We follow the scent.”

With that, he whistled to the dogs, who took off with much of the party in tow. Christophe followed after a moment, the lot of them charging through the bushes and stirring vegetation into the air.

 

-o-

 

Viktor was beginning to think he might be unwell. After taking off to ride for a while, he’d started to feel sluggish, yet he could feel his heartbeat picking up. The sights, sounds and smells of the forest were becoming sharper, and the Lord found himself trying to think of an excuse to find Yuuri. Unfortunately, he may have had to walk to the omega - his horse was behaving finicky. The mare fussed with the bit, shaking her head as if to rid herself of the reigns. Viktor moved his head close to her ear to sooth the creature.

 

This time though, it was utterly the wrong thing to do. The mare screeched and threw the Lord clean from the saddle, rearing up and running off through the undergrowth. Viktor checked he had not done himself a mischief and hauled himself off the dirt, shocked.

 

He made a point to break in each of his horses himself, training with them for months. There was no way the creature should act in such a way towards him unless-

 

It couldn’t be right. He  _ couldn’t  _ be in rut, not that soon. It wasn’t possible.

 

Puzzled, he picked at a green burr that had attached itself to his riding jacket when he fell, then froze.  _ Fuck. _

 

-o-

 

“CUT HER LOOSE!” Lord Cialdini bellowed from the ditch he’d been thrown into. Christophe was tossed around like a ragdoll by his mount, boot stuck in a stirrup. Yuuko and the others looked on, helpless as the mare struggled and tried to shy away from the alphas. When at last he fell free, the young Lord was narrowly missed by a hoof as the horse galloped off.

 

“Christophe!” Yuuko ran the the man’s aid. His ankle lay at an awkward angle, boot ripped clean off.

“ARGH,  _ fuck… _ ” he grunted through gritted teeth and tried to sit up, “ _ That’s  _ pigging broken.”

“Lay down, you fool.” Celestino had hauled himself out of the ditch and was picking bright green burrs off his arms. “Who knows how long we’ll be able to help you! The lot of us are going into induced rut. You need to be patched up before we lose all sense!”

The blond hung his head in defeat. “I’ll accept being a fool.” he glared at the burrs carpeting the dirt, “for not noticing the bastard would-be apothecary farming illegal crops on my land.”

One of the lesser known nobles frowned. “Knot plant. Damn.”

“So it would seem. Now, someone help me up.”

“But you’re in no condition to walk!”

“Thank you for the excellent observation, Lord Nishigori. But neither will Yuuri if those curs get to him before we do.” Chris glared grimly over to three horsewhips lying ownerless on the ground.

 

-o-

 

Yuuri woke from his dreamless sleep, wrinkling his nose at the first drops of rain falling on his skin. It smelled like rain, but that wasn’t enough to mask the odd scent carried by the light breeze. It smelled sort of… confused. Yuuri pondered it for a minute, picking himself up and dusting off his skirts as he did.

 

All of a sudden, his omega worked it out.  _ Rut. _

 

He bolted.

 

-o-

 

Viktor had long since shed his riding jacket, ripping it off his athletic frame. It impeded his arms too much.

 

He could feel his mind succumbing to rut, thoughts becoming hazy and vision staring to pinken at the edges. He worried himself; he was in absolutely no state to be running full pelt at an unwed omega, but the instinct to protect his mate overrode all lust. He could smell the stench of the other alphas; three scents stuck out as too close for comfort. They meant to claim. To take what wasn’t theirs. A cold streak of fear pierced the Lord much more than the icy rain as he worried he might be too late.

  
  


-o-

  
  


The once-comforting smell of petrichor became sour and choking as the forest filled with the scent of rut. Yuuri cursed the restrictions of well-bred omegas; his skirts were far too heavy and unwieldy to keep up a sprint. At least he was wearing boots. Silken slippers would surely have succumb to the dirt pounding beneath his feet.

 

The effort of holding his riding dress whilst he ran and the stench of alpha meant the omega struggled to breathe, panting harshly as icy rain pelted his face. But he  _ had  _ to keep going, had to keep running until his legs gave out. Everything inside him screamed to escape, pleaded to find somewhere safe, somewhere they couldn’t find him. Contrary to popular novels, an omega didn’t swoon at the thrill of the chase; nor did they feel desirable by catching the attention of so many horny alphas. Yuuri only felt pure, relentless fear, which poured from his scent glands as if from a broken dam.

 

He wouldn’t be able to carry on for much longer. Exhausted as he was, the lodge may as well have been as far from him as his home in Japan. He willed himself to keep going at the thought of the heartbreak that the alternative would cause his mother. He  _ had to- _

 

The pounding of blood in his ears covered the sound, but his overly sensitive nose caught the stench of the alpha before his eyes as a noble burst from the undergrowth to his left. It was the horrid man with the hooked nose, his eyes wild and bloodshot, hair and clothes torn by bracken. He lunged at the terrified Japanese, who frantically darted the other way only to be dragged by his skirts as they caught and ripped on a fallen branch. Adrenaline burnt away, he could only whimper and feebly tug at the heavy fabric while the alpha stalked towards his prey. Wordless sobs ripped from his throat as he choked on the awful mix of fear and lust as their two scents mixed. Yuuri scrambled as far away as his skirts would allow and wept.

 

Suddenly, the roar of another alpha pulled him from his stupor. Yuuri’s head snapped up in time to see a flash of silver hair before the hook-nosed alpha was thrown to the ground with a crack. Viktor’s punches rained down on the other alpha, who soon gave up trying to fight back against the lithe Russian, instead feebly twisting away from the onslaught. Viktor’s scent was pure fury; unlike the other alpha, there was not a hint of arousal. It was a small comfort to the omega, who was frozen stiff as a board, hands twisted and shaking in his torn and muddied skirts.

 

When the hook-nosed alpha stopped moving, Viktor ceased, wiping his bloodied hands on the man’s once-white shirt before slowly, carefully turning to Yuuri. Both were panting hard, and the omega could not help the flinch as the Russian gently moved towards him. Viktor stopped upon seeing it, settling a safe distance away and reaching out his hands.

 

“Yuuri?”

The omega stayed frozen. Viktor tried again, voice rough.

“Yuuri, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. That you had to see.... To endure such a thing is too horrible for me to think about. If anything had happened to you, I would have-” he stopped himself and took a breath, making an effort to remove the anger from his scent. “Are you unhurt? You are safe now, I promise you. I swear I won’t hurt you, Yuuri, I couldn’t live with myself if-”

“Rut.” The word was said accusingly. Yuuri remained guarded.

“I’m afraid so, Yuuri. There’s knot plant in the woods; the hunting party didn’t stand a chance. Even still, I didn’t expect…” he glanced back at the comatose alpha. “No matter how desperate an alpha is in rut, nor how tempting the scent of an omega; we have a choice, Yuuri. We have that much control. Those scumbags did what they would have given the option whilst completely aware. Lord Cialdini, Lord Nishigori, Christophe… our friends would not dream of such a thing. We’re not all rabid wolves.”

 

Yuuri calmed somewhat at that, and slumped against a tree.

“You said ‘those’.”

“Yes, Yuuri. I could smell them before I arrived. It seems that this one’s associates have about as much discipline as him. We need to go. Yuuri, please. I know it’s difficult for you to trust me, but I need you to let me take you somewhere safe.”

_ Safe,  _ thought Yuuri’s inner omega.  _ Safe is good. Viktor, alpha, safe. _

Shakily. Yuuri reached out and met Viktor halfway. The silverette carefully tore his dress from the undergrowth and lifted him into his arms. The dark-haired man curled up against his chest.

 

With that, he ran. Cradling the omega against him, he reached the river and lept over, where their scent would not carry. Still he continued, to an old willow where they took shelter from the rain.

 

Viktor gently set the man down against the trunk, blushing as his ripped skirts left his leg indecently uncovered. He tucked the remaining fabric around them to protect the man from the cold, before adding his own waistcoat to the omega’s shoulders.

 

“How are you feeling?”

“Shaken.”

“I’m sorry.”

Yuuri turned to him. “Whatever for? You saved me. And don’t tell me you’re able to  _ choose _ how rut affects you. You may be able to control your actions, but your scent gives you away. You’re struggling. Why?”

Viktor was taken aback. “Why? How can you ask me why? Any man worth more than his weight in  _ piss  _ would have done the same - that sod would have- have… I felt a duty to  _ protect  _ you for fucks’ sake-”

“That’s a poor excuse and you kno-” Yuuri tried to butt in, but the alpha cut him off.

“And that should have been enough, but-  _ blast it all,  _ Yuuri, I’m madly in love with you and would throw myself under my horse before I allow you to get even a  _ papercut _ and-”

“You love me?”

Viktor stopped in his tracks and took the other man’s hands in his own.

“With my whole heart, my darling. I could never,  _ ever _ hurt you. I would rather go more than a thousand ruts without so much as a-”

“I understand!” Yuuri squeaked, embarrassed. Now that his omega was satisfied that they were safe, and that Viktor was there, protecting him like a good alpha, his own mind was starting to slip. Because while he wouldn’t  _ dare _ behave indecently under such circumstances, the lord’s scent smelt so good, all traces of anger and fear gone. So he couldn’t truthfully say he wouldn’t  _ dream  _ of it.

“Yuuri,  _ solnyshko,  _ of course I love you. How could I not? I have been working up the courage to… well, to propose. It might be unorthodox, but I wanted to ask you first rather than presuming to force myself upon you by arranging anything with your father. But you must not answer me yet; you have to know that I intended to propose honourably, Yuuri. What happened today… you have to know that you owe me nothing. If you wish, I will act only as a friend to you, or will leave you completely if you-”

Yuuri silenced him immediately with a kiss. His lips were soft against his own, gentle and sweet. It left Viktor breathless.

“Will you ask me again, Viktor? As you imagined it?”

The alpha took a shaky breath and forced back tears. Yuuri knew exactly what he needed, saw right through his hopeless attempts.

“Yuuri Katsuki, I love you more than I can possibly say. Will you marry me?”

“Yes.”

 

They shared another kiss. Viktor kept his rut-addled mind mostly in check, keeping his hands to his fiance’s waist, but he could not stop himself from rubbing the glands on his wrists against the fabric, scent seeping into the remains of the omega’s riding dress. Rather than object, Yuuri drew his fingers gently across the silverette’s bonding gland, causing Viktor to shiver and release another burst of happy scent.

 

“I think you ought to scent me properly, Viktor. Lay a claim to keep any other alphas at bay.” Yuuri was half-teasing, but Viktor was too far gone to see the request as anything other than perfectly logical and necessary. He pulled at the omega’s cravat to mouth at his scent gland, drawing in as much of his sweet smell as possible while rubbing his wrists against the omega’s back. They both let out moans as their scents twisted into one. Viktor strained in his breeches, sinking deeper into his rut. When he felt his hands creep through the rip in Yuuri’s skirts, searching for silken skin, he drew back sharply. The two of them panted harshly, desire in their eyes.

 

“I’m sorry. I forgot myself.”

“I think I might have been to blame, actually. I shouldn’t have teased you in such a state.”

“Never blame yourself for that, my sweet. I can’t think of a single thing you could do that wouldn’t make me desire you entirely.”

Yuuri blushed. After a silence, Viktor sensed a touch of nerves in the Japanese's scent.

“Yuuri, What’s the matter?”

“What would you have done had he taken me?”

Viktor took his face into his hands, smoothing a thumb over his cheek.

“Nothing different, I aim to marry you and would have done so all the same.” With that, he wrapped his arms around his fiance, and helped him up.

“I think we’d better head back. You’ll catch a chill.”

“You are just as susceptible to a cold as I. I think you just want us back in company so we don’t do anything we really should have a marriage license for.”

“Fine, we’ll agree that we better head back, lest we both catch a cold. And while it might have the added benefit of stopping me from taking a liberty or twenty, you can’t deny you wouldn’t have stopped me.”

“Far from it, my husband-to-be. I’m sure I would have been the instigator.”

 

With that, Yuuri winked at the Lord cheekily, and Viktor Nikiforov fell a little bit more in love.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it (or can send me some constructive criticism if you didn't), and thank you sooo much to everyone who comments, I try to answer every one and value you all immensely.
> 
> Come talk to me @vityamins on le tumbs, or leave a comment and kudos (I love talking to you guys), and have a lovely day!


End file.
